Believers' Spiritual Warfare

Ephesians 6:11-18

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Christians are in a spiritual warfare against Satan and his army as this spiritual conflict is known as the warfare of faith (v. 12). God knew that whom He called to be His servants that the battle lines were drawn in the sand-earth and He prepared His warriors for battle.

If the question were raised, What is the believer's battle armour? God dressed His warriors with the helmet of salvation, He girded our loins with truth-His truth as this is the only truth that will stand against Satan and his attacks. God covered His warriors with the breastplate of righteousness as this is His righteousness by which all mankind will judge. Believers' feet are shod with the gospel of peace as believers are to carry the gospel of Christ to a lost world. Believers are outfitted with the shield of faith so that we can withstand all Satan's fiery darts of wickedness that is designed to shake our faith. The last piece of body armour given by God is His sword-the Bible which is His word and with this offensive weapon we take the fight to Satan and his demonic schemes.

In the believer's warfare we remain in constant communication with our Commander-in-Chief-God through constant prayer.
Believers, fight on because we have victory.

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Spiritual Separation

2 Corinthians 6:16-18

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hast said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

If the question were raised, Why must Christians separate themselves from the world? The answer is simply as stated in our scripture text that we are the "temple of the living God" and God has no dealing with idols. Also, believers are the dwelling place of God-the Holy Spirit who cannot and will not dwell in an unholy place. Most importantly, this is a requirement of God as He is holy and all believers are to be likewise-holy.

With that being said, then separation is required because righteousness and unrighteousness cannot co-exist in the believer. Man is no match for sin in his own strength, but with the aid of the Holy Spirit believers have the power to live righteous lives before God and refute worldliness. On the other hand all believers who refuse to separate him or herself from sin loses fellowship with God (2 Corinthians 6:16).
Believers separate yourselves; God lives in you.

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White3285@sbcglobal.net
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http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

God's Anger On Display

Romans 1:18-32

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;….when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imagination, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

In light of the recent natural disaster that occurred in a place out of the norm according to man, but these occurrences are under God's command and control as the Bible spoke of such occurrences in different places and times.

Our scripture text makes a profound statement of why God's anger is on display because of sin and unrighteousness. God is revealing His anger from the heavens in many different ways, such as torrent heat, storms, sand storms, earthquakes, tornados and hurricanes. In a sailor's terminology God is sending warning shots across the bow of humanity and if we fail to get His message and repent, then judgment is certain. His judgment is going to be swift and harsh because God cannot and neither will He continue tolerating the ungodliness we see in today's society. Get right and adhere to God's warning.

Scriptures has recorded for our benefit of God's actions against prolonged sin and wickedness; remember the flood during Noah's days. These questions come to mind, Do we feel the Bible is just a love story? Do we believe the events actually occurred as written in the Bible? Do we in today's society feel we are exempt from God's judgment? Has self-wisdom caused us to become foolish in our own thinking believing that the natural disasters are just the forces of nature? Nature is under God's control too.

Let me close this discussion by saying, God is angry; it's time to repent and turn back to God.

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Humnaity God's Unique Vases

Job 10:8

Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about….

Pondering what to write for today's discussion, I took a reflective look at nature and compared humanity to the many species of flowers with the array of colors so beautifully arranged in God's flower garden-earth.

All humanity is God's vase as each of us is uniquely shaped to display His glory as we are the clay and He is the potter (Isaiah 64:8) for we are shaped to be a blessing to others as we are blessed (Genesis 12:2) and implanted with His love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). We are commanded to love one another as Jesus have loved you and I (John 15:12). Consider the peace and harmony that each flower exist in God's flower garden so must mankind.

All humanity is shaped to smile at God (Isaiah 35:1) as He smiles on each of us daily with His many blessings. Notice how nature (flowers) smiles at God each day as He provides for their needs. He provides for all our needs as well. Each flower serves a specific purpose for God; humanity likewise. Lest we forget that mankind was created in the image and likeness of God; therefore, we posses the character traits of our heavenly Father. Display them!

Let's close today's discussion by saying God made room for humanity in His flower garden, let's make room for God in our house-lives. Therefore, live to glorify God as we are His beautiful array of flowers meticulous planted in His garden.
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Live In Holiness

1 Kings 2:4; Psalm 119:33-40

…If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

Today's discussion is an adaption from this month's devotional where our overall theme for the month is God's chosen leaders where we have looked at several of His leaders and their character which is to say they walked closely with God.

If the question were raised, How do one live in holiness? The writer of 1 Kings, David encourages all to take a careful look at your lifestyle and stake heed to it and then walk in true holiness by obeying God's commands. David learned this painful but valuable lesson of walking closely with God as it opened the door to God's blessing and His truth. When David failed to walk according to God's commands he suffered, but David would go to God in sincere prayer and with a repentant heart asking for forgiveness.

You and I today can live in holiness by living according to God's Word as we have God's Word the Bible and the indwelling Holy Spirit as our guide. It is noteworthy to say that holy living requires a willing heart and a humble spirit; in doing so we give honor and glory to a Sovereign God.
The world will see God in you through your holy living. Live holy!

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www.shepherministries.info.

God Promises A New Heart

Romans 11:26; Ezekiel 36:26

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

In Tuesday's discussion we answered the question Can these bones live, for today we will look at God's promise to Israel of a new heart one that will become soft as flesh and one that will cause a change in direction that is focused on Him. The promise of a new heart depicts both a physical and spiritual restoration for the nation of Israel and believers under the new covenant, which was established by Christ (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

A new heart was necessary because God's people had turned their backs on Him forgetting all that He had done for them. Their hearts had become waxed cold as they were doing all manner of evil in God's eyesight so much so God referred to them as dry bones (Tuesday's discussion).

However, we see God getting ready to make a change in the people's condition as His prophet were to preach His Word and He would do the rest, which was a heart transplant one which obeys His Word and walk according to His statues.

Why a new heart because it is the epicenter of all man's actions either good or bad. With this new heart and God's spirit living within people will be saved, both then and now "all Israel/believers." Why? Because when God's Word is preach it has a positive effect on the hearer.
A new heart one that is obedient to God.

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Can These Bones Live?

Ezekiel 37:1-14

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley, which was full of bones.

Our topical discussion today is focus on Ezekiel's vision where God used an analogy of dry bones to show the depth of the nation's sins. Ezekiel was to preach God's Word to a sinful nation who had become so sinful until they were likened to dry bones in the valley. God asks Ezekiel "can these bones live?" God knew the answer because He knows all and His prophet would obey His command to preach even if the people were as dry bones.

The vision continues to the conversation between God and Ezekiel with instructions been given to preach and God would cause the bones-people to hear and repent (v. 5). In verse 6 we see Ezekiel preaching and the results is flesh coming on these bones-people coming alive by hearing God's Word and repenting.

This scenario brings these questions to mind, given the magnitude of today's sins can our nation be considered a valley of dry bones? Are we listening to God's preachers? There is power in the Word of God; it brings a spiritual healing from ones sin sickness. There is salvation in His word. There is joy in His word; there is peace in His word.

Preachers preach because these bones can live and the valley of dry bones becomes a valley of living souls.

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White3285@sbcglobal.net, http://willie-writing.blogspot.com
www.shepherdministries.info.
Today's discussion is taken from my monthly devotion "Heavenly Bread"; available through Amazon.com, the author.

God Call Special People For A Specific Service

Judges 17:6

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

The spiritually depraved conditions that existed during the time of this scripture writing is a direct result of what happens when Israel and man as a whole turn from God.
The book of Judges records Israel's history when there were no king and "the cycles of apostasy, foreign oppression, servitude, their crying out to God in their distress and His deliverance through leaders anointed by His Spirit" (KJV Commentary). This is the period of the judges where God anointed special judges to lead His people. God chose judges who were spirit-filled and would obey His commands.
God in His compassionated mercy is ready to forgive and deliver them from adverse situations and conditions. The need for deliverance is the result of men doing what they perceive as right which is normally wrong in God's eyes (2:11; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6).
The spiritual apostasy that existed during this period in Israel's history is prevalent in today's society. This is because man is doing what he thinks is right according to his understanding and is overlooking God's laws.

It is noteworthy to say just as God called special people to speak a word for Him in biblical times He still has special people preaching His Word to heal our land.
Believers, be a leader of one and tell a dying world about a risen Savior.

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Author's contact:www.shepherdministries.info
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A Praying Nation

Ephesians 6:18

This nation was founded on godly principles with God as its first love; somehow between then and now we have forsaken the Lord and have replaced Him with other gods. God is a jealous God and will not tolerate other gods before Him.

Conditions in this country are turning people back to God. These conditions have become so perilous economic, climatic and spiritual until there is a call for a national day of prayer this Saturday. Some that are spear-heading this call is political leaders. Needless to say many in the Christian Community have been praying for a healing of this nation and people turn their hearts back to God.

The point of this discussion is that those prayer warriors who constantly make intercessory prayer that God is answering and as more of this nation's leaders and laity see the need for prayer and turn back to God our nation can and will be healed. Conditions will change economically, physically and spiritually.

Join with me and others as we continue to pray for the healing of this nation.

Comments are welcome.
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http://willie-writing.blogspot.com
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white3285@sbcglobal.net